- Joined
- Apr 6, 2006
- Messages
- 3,152
- Purraise
- 86
OK, so last January I got bronchitis, and my immune system apparently never got the idea that I'm better now. I kept coughing until my doctor realized I had gotten asthma. No, I didn't know it could happen, either.
Anyhow, I've been advised to reduce the allergens in my environment. I've decided to start enforcing a "no cats on the bed" rule, which won't be too tough since they don't usually go up there. I'll just have to make sure they have other places to lounge. Also I'm going to look for a low-dust litter that they and I can all agree on, since neither my cats nor I can tolerate scented litter.
I have two cats, age four and seven. I have had to bathe them about twice each, usually when they got into something nasty-smelling or poisonous. They always hated it, but forgave me in an hour. They never panicked to the extent of scratching me--they just complained loudly until I finished washing them off.
I know that bathing a cat regularly is one option to reduce cat-allergy issues. I figure baby shampoo and warm water should work, plus a warm place to dry off; a space heater in the wintertime.
The cats are not my major asthma trigger issue right now. I have much more trouble with cold air, exercise, dust, and pollen. Still, I don't want to be tied to an inhaler if I can help it.
I know some of you folks who breed purebred cats need to bathe them before shows, but from what I can gather you started them on that when they were kittens. Can I get two relatively set-in-their-ways adults to tolerate getting bathed?
And, no, I am not considering "getting rid of" the cats. My asthma is annoying, not life-threatening. At worst, it wakes me up at night with coughing; I've never been actually unable to breathe. I just want to make it easier for myself, without making things too much harder for my cats.
Anyhow, I've been advised to reduce the allergens in my environment. I've decided to start enforcing a "no cats on the bed" rule, which won't be too tough since they don't usually go up there. I'll just have to make sure they have other places to lounge. Also I'm going to look for a low-dust litter that they and I can all agree on, since neither my cats nor I can tolerate scented litter.
I have two cats, age four and seven. I have had to bathe them about twice each, usually when they got into something nasty-smelling or poisonous. They always hated it, but forgave me in an hour. They never panicked to the extent of scratching me--they just complained loudly until I finished washing them off.
I know that bathing a cat regularly is one option to reduce cat-allergy issues. I figure baby shampoo and warm water should work, plus a warm place to dry off; a space heater in the wintertime.
The cats are not my major asthma trigger issue right now. I have much more trouble with cold air, exercise, dust, and pollen. Still, I don't want to be tied to an inhaler if I can help it.
I know some of you folks who breed purebred cats need to bathe them before shows, but from what I can gather you started them on that when they were kittens. Can I get two relatively set-in-their-ways adults to tolerate getting bathed?
And, no, I am not considering "getting rid of" the cats. My asthma is annoying, not life-threatening. At worst, it wakes me up at night with coughing; I've never been actually unable to breathe. I just want to make it easier for myself, without making things too much harder for my cats.
